Clomid and Male Infertility

Clomid is most commonly associated with female fertility treatments but it can also be used in cases of male infertility. When men have a low sperm count or poor motility, Clomid can stimulate the pituitary gland to produce more quality sperm. A study by WHO (World Health Organization) done in the 90’s shows that Clomid can increase the production of sperm.

There is still very limited research on men using Clomid for infertility issues such as low sperm count and poor motility. It’s also thought that if a male has severe sperm issues, such as extremely low sperm count, Clomid will not help.

Before Clomid is prescribed by a fertility specialist, a semen analysis and blood work will be done. Speaking from first hand experience, my urologist advised me to give a few semen samples over the course of a couple of months before prescribing Clomid. He wanted to get a few reading before making any decisions to make sure my counts were accurate. All of my semen analysis came in with a low count and very abnormal morphology as well. You will likely have blood work done at the same time to check your hormone levels. Clomid can help regulate your hormone levels which in turn can improve sperm production.

Side Effects of Clomid on Men

On another personal note, my urologist prescribed Clomid for my diagnosis of low sperm count. I had a sperm count of around 15-19 million per ml which is a little under average. Average sperm count is considered 20 million sperm per ml. Anything below 20 million is considered below average so that’s where I was categoriezed. My urologist prescribed me Clomid for low sperm count once a day for 6 months. Sperm changes and changes in sperm production take around 90 days to happen so he wanted to monitor me for 6 months to see if the Clomid would help improve my sperm count. Each month he would do blood work to check if my hormones were in balance. If there were not, he would adjust my dosage. After a few weeks of taking Clomid, I started to notice the side effects. I was having regular hot flashes, mood swings and blurred vision. I was basically having a geriod (guy period!). Okay…that was my attempt at humor! Don’t laugh too hard.

I stuck with Clomid for about 2 months and had to stop taking it. The side effects weren’t worth it and my wife and I were already going through the IUI process. So, I stopped taking Clomid and the side effects stopped almost immediately. I was finally back to a state of manhood!

A few weeks later we went through our second IUI cycle. After they took my semen sample for the IUI, I was stunned that my sperm count went down to under 10 million per ml. The first IUI it was 19 million. It decreased by almost half of what it was originally! I can’t say for sure if it was or was not the Clomid but it all happened at the same time. I’m also not saying that Clomid is horrible and you should never use it if you’re advised by your doctor to do so. It just wasn’t for me. Everyone reacts differently. I happened to not react well to Clomid.

The Conclusion: Clomid For Male Infertility

There’s still not much evidence behind Clomid working for male infertility. The jury is still out. Although sperm production can be increased by use of Clomid in cases of male infertility, men that took Clomid were no more likely to get their partner pregnant than men who were taking a placebo.

As with anything else fertility related, please see a specialist who can help advise the best path for your individual fertility situation.